“Recent years have brought challenges to the Newark store,” said Raley’s spokeswoman Chelsea Minor, who called the decision difficult. The store’s site is aging, and it has faced increased competition, she said.

“Factors like these have led to a decreasing number of customers and decreasing sales,” Minor said. The company will transfer some of the workers to its other stores. Raley’s has a store in Fremont. It closed a Nob Hill Foods in San Jose last month.

The Newark store has been open for more than 20 years.

“It has been our honor and pleasure to serve this amazing community for almost two and a half decades. We are proud to be even a small part of your lives,” the store posted on its Facebook page. According to the post, some workers will transfer to the company’s Fremont store.

Newark resident Debbie Rizotto said the employees at her neighborhood Raley’s have meant a lot to her family over the years. Both of her children worked there when they were growing up, and the workers greet her by name.

“I’ll miss the people; I love all the people who work there. I’m concerned about them and what this will do to the neighborhood. It’s a sad day for Newark,” she said.

After the Newark closure, Raley’s will own 124 stores under four brands: Raley’s, Bel Air Markets, Nob Hill Foods and Food Source. It also operates 13 Aisle 1 Fuel Stations in Northern California and Nevada.

The company has 12,000 employees and $3 billion in annual revenue, according to its website.

Founder Thomas Raley’s grandson, Michael Teel, is company president and CEO. He became its majority owner in May.